Gallery

This Is Feeling Photography

Chicago, IL

About this Vendor

Fine-Art, Documentary Wedding Photography

Our couples call our photography natural, authentic, and emotional. They also say it best: “Photography was at the top of our priority list. It was really important for us to be able to capture the heart, spirit, and love throughout our wedding day. We met with a lot of photographers and were struck by the ease in which we could connect with Ben and the approach brought forward from This Is Feeling. Not only was their photography beautiful and matched the artistic style we were looking for, there was also a strong sense of intentionality in relationship building with us, learning our story, and creating space to talk about what was most important for us to be captured.”
Reach out to us today so we can guide you through creating your dream wedding!

Contact Info

These are your guys!

Reviewed on
12/19/2015
Neha G

I had an amazing experience with This is Feeling! My (now) husband and I were trying to find a photographer that fit our style while appeasing to our parents idea of "good photography". This was quite challenging considering that we were planning a Chicago wedding while living... Read More in New York City. Ben and his team were wonderful! They met with us over various Skype sessions to make sure we were getting exactly what we wanted. We were worried that our parents wouldn't appreciate some of the stylistic photos and would think they were too "touch feely" (pun intended), but both of our parents absolutely loved every photo! Kevin did such a great job making sure he got photos that really captured all emotions felt during the wedding! He always maintained professionalism and was able to help us predict where things could get disorganized which made everything work so smoothly on the big day(s). We loved working with him and are bummed that we don’t live in Chicago to grab more beers with him. My husband and I are were pretty awkward and nervous about being in front of a camera, and Kevin made it so easy and natural. The photo slide show continues to bring laughs and tears for anyone we show it to. Thanks Ben and Kevin for making our special weekend unforgettable!

Just inspired photography...

Reviewed on
12/04/2015
Rena L

I met Ben and Mike at a wedding expo. They had gorgeous display of their canvas prints and had a few of their albums on display so it was easy to see how their work turned into something tangible. Even though they had a crowd of people at their display, they took the time to... Read More speak to each person individually, which truly displayed their professionalism and level of service. I went home, and took a look at their site, which showcased their personalities perfectly, and knew right away that this was the photographer group for us. We reached out to them and they had us fill out a little questionnaire of our expectations for the big day. Ben offered to have is either come into the studio, Skype, or hop on a phone call to go through our answers, which really made it convenient for us. About two months out, we had a second call with Ben which was a little more in depth and personal to us as a couple (i.e. what parts of the day we were most looking forward to, how we met, what is it that we love about each other, etc.) and it was done individually, so they could really get each of our perspectives of how we imagined the day panning out. This call was to narrow down from their staff who would be the best fit for our goals/objectives for the day and in the end Kevin was chosen as our lead photographer. Kevin scheduled yet another call/Skype session to get to know us on an even more personal level (it ended up being 1 1/2 hours!). It was painful, and a little stressful at the time, a week out from our wedding but the time we put into it really paid off in the end. The day of, Kevin and Missy, his assistant, showed up ready to work. They really put everyone at ease and were extremely patient with all the complications thrown at them (i.e. late arrivals, young children,huge group formal portraits, multiple shoot locations, other bridal parties at shoot locations, etc.) They really fed off of our ideas and came up with new ones on the spot. They scheduled a "Premiere" following our wedding at their studio where we viewed a slideshow of photos. It was well-curated to capture the special moments of our day. We knew there were a few gems before we even saw the pictures, but once the online gallery was available to share with our friends and family, it was beyond our expectations. They captured off-beat moments, interesting angles, minute details, and creative dance floor shots that really captured the energy of the day. It is going to be extremely difficult picking our favorites for our wedding photo album to come.

fall 2012 wredding

Reviewed on
8/23/2013
Julie D

Ben was a great photographer. He traveled to MI from Chicago for our engagement session and then again for the wedding. The engagement went good we were overall happy but asked for more close up's for the wedding and come wedding time we got exactly what we wanted! He busted his... Read More butt running from 4 different locations to get the groom before, bride/bridal party before and wedding/reception. He had great ideas at all locations and incorporated everything we discussed before and then some. He got all the details without us having to point things out. He was willing to work with us on the package we chose and received a wonderful canvas print of our choice and edited to our liking. Very happy with his hard work and great prices- we wouldn't have changed a thing.

Best Wedding Photographer You'll Ever Work With

Reviewed on
8/22/2013
Asad B

Ben is an amazing photographer and we had such a great experience working with him. Right from the start we knew that we wanted him to be our photographer. Looking at the pictures on his website it was clear that he is very talented and has a wonderful eye for light and how to... Read More use it to take a picture from good to breathtaking. His service was excellent-- always friendly and responsive. He was also very professional-- on-time and polite and helpful with guests. He's flexible about his packages and gave us a really great value for our money. We had a 3 day South Asian wedding and were having trouble finding a great photographer who was also affordable-- Ben fit the bill on both counts. Beyond all of the above, we also really like Ben. He is a really nice guy and very interesting too--well traveled and well spoken. really invested in getting to know you as well so he can really tell your story through pictures. Strongly recommend Ben Chernivsky for your wedding photography needs.

Reviewed on
12/06/2016
Ashley A

Mike was fantastic! We had him running around for a very long day between 4 locations and he never missed a beat. Our wedding party commented all day about how fun he was and we truly connected with him. Mike even helped Gavin tie his bow tie a few times! Both the photos from... Read More our forever session and the wedding were so amazing - we are in love! We had a great time going into the studio to view a slideshow preview after the wedding. We are working with Mike and Ben now to create an album and they have been so friendly and helpful even with us being picky. I could not recommend This Is Feeling enough. The photos are one-of-a-kind and truly capture the atmosphere, personalities, and feeling of every moment. Thank you so much!

Reviewed on
12/05/2016
Rachel W

I depended heavily on reviews when I was vendor shopping so I have to write a review for ThisisFeeling. My husband and I agreed that our most important money spent on our wedding would be our photographer. We met with Ben at Thisisfeeling and were sold right away. After we... Read More signed our contract with them, a photographer was selected for us based on what Ben would think would be the best fit for what we were looking for. Mike was our photographer for our engagement photos and for our wedding. We feel so blessed to have had Mike work with us - our engagement photos look like they could be in a magazine. After getting back such amazing engagement photos we had no doubt that he would deliver excellent work for our wedding. He definitely did. We got our wedding pics back about 6 weeks after our wedding with about 1000 edited beautiful pictures. I have looked at our photos so many times and am just amazed that Mike was able to capture so much emotion and really captured the whole day in a way that it tells a story better than a videographer could have. Thisisfeeling's photography style is truly like a work of art. In addition to the work itself, Mike as a person was great to work with. He fit in with our wild wedding party and was a blast to be around. He also was everywhere it seemed like without ever being 'too much'. Our family, friends, and guests have had nothing but great things to say about Mike and the quality of our photos. Thank you to Thisisfeeling and Mike for giving us photos that we will cherish forever.

Reviewed on
10/28/2016
Brett B

This is Feeling did an incredible job at my wedding! Ben and his team captured every single moment beautifully. They found amazing landscapes and landmarks all over the city to photograph us. Not only were the pictures amazing, but he also put together some lovely canvas ideas.... Read More Also, don't even get me started on how amazing our album looks!! I think the most important quality of Ben and This is Feeling is patience. He worked so well and was so thoughtful when it came to different settings and how they needed to be shot. Plus, he was willing to work with us for a long time after our wedding. I could not recommend them enough. Thanks, Ben

Reviewed on
10/26/2016
Robert B

Photography was at the top of our priority list. It was really important for us to be able to capture the heart, spirit, and love throughout our wedding day. We could not have found a better photographer than Ben. We met with a lot of photographers and were struck by the ease in... Read More which we could connect with Ben and the approach brought forward from This Is Feeling. Not only was their photography beautiful and matched the artistic style we were looking for, there was also a strong sense of intentionality in relationship building with us, learning our story, and creating space to talk about what was most important for us to be captured. We had a great engagement session with Ben in Chicago, which left us really excited and confident about our wedding photography. Ben was so easy to work with on our wedding day in Madison, WI and brought along a second shooter as well. We experienced some major weather struggles and Ben was able to work really well around it and decrease our concerns. Our photos were breathtaking and accurately captured the moments that mattered most to us. We are so appreciative to have found This Is Feeling and would highly recommend them!

Reviewed on
10/25/2016
Kristin H

I first stumbled across This is feeling while my mother and I were at a trade show this past January. Normally I would never attend a wedding trade show as typically it doesn't house vendors that I would be naturally drawn to. However, that was not the case when I walked up to... Read More the This is feeling booth and met Ben and his wife. I was instantly drawn to their stylistic approach and wanted to learn more. After a great conversation and consulting with my now husband we decided to move forward. We got the pleasure of being paired up with Kevin. Once we were matched he scheduled a call with us to get to know us better, there was an instant connection and we felt like a friendship was formed! Kevin was a true pleasure to work with. He nailed our engagement session listening to every part of what we wanted to portray in our photographs and what was special to us. Six months later was our wedding, where we had the pleasure of working with Kevin and Jake who was the second shooter. I can't tell you what a fantastic duo they were. Wedding photographs are an investment for lifelong memories on one of the most important days of your lives. I am so lucky for the beautiful memories we will have forever captured by This is feeling, thank you again!

Reviewed on
10/25/2016
Elizabeth H

Thisisfeeling did an absolutely amazing job from beginning to end! We worked with Ben for our engagement and wedding pictures. From the start, Ben really got to know my husband and I which was refreshing and comforting knowing that he would be capturing one of the most intimate... Read More moments of our lives. It was important for us not to get your typical “stand here, pose and smile” pictures. Before our engagement session, Ben met with us in person and really understood what we were looking for – the engagement pictures were fantastic. This made us super excited to see what he would do for our wedding pictures. Before the wedding Ben set up additional conversations to talk to us about our wedding – everything and anything that was important for us. On the day of our wedding Ben and Eric (our second photographer) did an outstanding job! They felt like part of my family helping make my day special – I didn’t feel like I had “photographers” there, they were an extension of us. I was super anxious to get our wedding pictures and when we did – I cried like a baby! Thisisfeeling exceeded our expectations (which were already high from our engagement session) capturing intimate moments and emotions throughout the day. I cannot recommend them enough – your wedding day pictures are an investment and these guys are worth every penny!

Reviewed on
10/20/2016
david s

This is Feeling was a great fit for what my wife and I wanted in terms of wedding photography. Firstly everyone from TIFP were polite, professional, and took the time to get to know us individually as well as a couple. Even at the beginning of the process the extensive... Read More interview made me feel that they wanted to match what we wanted rather than what they wanted to show. I could tell they truly listened to what we wanted/not wanted and fully delivered on the actual wedding day. On the actual wedding day, everything was already organized and discussed which meant we didn't have to micro-manage anything that Kevin and Jacob already had planned. I couldn't appreciate enough that they even didn't push for cliche photos that everyone does, (everyone knows those lame wedding photos that look too posed or fake and TIFP made sure there was none of that) which made my wife and i feel greatly appreciated! I didnt feel rushed nor did I feel like they were taking their time. Both photographers were great with on the fly opportunities throughout the day and have a great idea of how to get the best lighting. The candid photos turned out great and the overall experience was exactly what I expected, not to mention the pricing was very reasonable. The final products were great, and we have long lasting memories that we can re-live every time we open our album. They were clear, not too artsy and weird/abstract. I strongly recommend TIFP to anyone who is looking for professional photographers.

Reviewed on
10/19/2016
Amber S

Ben is amazing. I was very wary of hiring a photographer for our wedding because most (if not all) of my friends and families were disappointed in their photos. We met with Ben and had our engagement shoot and my fears were relieved. He was incredibly professional and had a very... Read More quick turn around to get the photos back to us. Pros: Rights to all edited photos, Album, Engagement shoot, professional, quick delivery. Cons: Cost (but worth every penny)

Reviewed on
10/16/2016
Danielle S

These guys rock! We were drawn to their style of photography and their ability to capture details and feelings in their shots. The day of our wedding they made everyone feel at ease in front of the camera. We haven't even seen the photos yet but I'm already giving them 5 stars... Read More as they did an amazing job that day navigating our wedding parties, families, us, guests, etc. Also, the giffyy is a MUST. Our guests loved it, and it is so fun looking back at all the giffys.

2016-10-16T15:30:39
Response from
the vendor

Ha, too cool! Thanks so much for trusting us with your wedding photography AND for getting Gifyyy photo booth. It's a ton of fun isn't it?! We are super excited to share your wedding photographs with you!

Reviewed on
9/16/2016
Emily S

It was love at first site with this photography studio! I knew the moment I saw their work on theknot.com that they were the ones I wanted photographing our wedding, and they lived up to our every hope and dream. They were the only photographers I contacted and we were so lucky... Read More to be able to book them. We loved them because their work really shone with genuine emotion and feeling (no pun intended) while all others appeared stiff, posed, and unappealingly planned. Their style is unique in that it's whimsical, artsy, and documentary-like. They capture candid, authentic, beautiful and beautifully organic moments along with some of the more formal portraiture. They were kind, funny, and great to work with during the planning process which was tough because we live out of state and planned from afar. We met our photographers, Jake and Kevin, on the DAY OF the wedding and they were truly out of this world!!! These guys were so nice and easy-going, and while we were overwhelmed by everything that was happening and even a little bit uncomfortable in our own skin, they made the day SO much fun and put us right at ease. I felt myself begin to relax in front of their cameras because they were such good guys and good sports who were clearly also having fun, which only made it more fun for us. They were true professionals and their passion for a good shot was infectious. I absolutely can't wait to see what they came away with from our special day, and only wish we lived closer to the Chicago area so we could take these two guys out for a beer. They were incredible and we can never thank them enough. If you're undecided as to your photographer for YOUR special day, I'd pick this group 1000 times over again. I highly recommend them.

2016-10-16T15:32:44
Response from
the vendor

Reading statements like "I felt myself begin to relax in front of their cameras because they were such good guys and good sports who were clearly also having fun" REALLY shows us how important it is for us to keep focusing on our approach to...Read LessRead More

Reviewed on
8/24/2016
McKinley S

Ben was absolutely fantastic every step of the way. We felt very confident that he knew what he was doing. He made us feel very comfortable, and we were so happy to have him be a part of our day.

2016-08-25T03:01:24
Response from
the vendor

Hey thanks so much McKinley! Loved photographing your wedding and being a part of your celebration. - Ben

Reviewed on
6/20/2016
Marti S

I wanted to personally write you a huge thank you. Mike was the most amazing photographer! He not only listened to our wants but delivered in every way possible! Our pictures are breathtaking! I wanted someone who could capture the beauty of our crazy and loving family. Mike did... Read More that and more! I am stunned and grateful for his work! Thank you for listening to us and giving us Mike to be part of our day! Everything was beyond professional but yet very personal. We appreciate it more than words can say! Your company is called This is Feeling. And that is exactly what we got and could not be more pleased. You have got a great or with Mike! Thank you a million times!

Reviewed on
6/12/2016
Natalya F

We loved working with ThisIsFeeling during the planning process and on the actual day. Jake and Kevin, our photogs on the day of, were absolutely great. They were very patient during the family photos (which can be very chaotic!). Jake is very laid back which is super helpful on... Read More the wedding day. At a friend's wedding, their photographer showed up and brought a lot of stress to the room which was awful! Not something you need on the wedding day which can already be stressful! Jake and Kevin were very profressional. Jake did a great job directing us when we needed it (not used to posing for photographs). Working with Ben and Jake during the planning process was great also. Again, very laid back style. We really liked the questions they ask to get to know you as a couple. It felt really personal and special. We had the Gifyyy at our reception, which people had a ton of fun with (an iPad on a tripod that takes gifs of your guests, and then they can send it to themselves). Such a great option. We loved seeing people post theirs on social media. Some people at the wedding never even noticed the Gifyyy so one thing we would have done differently is put it in a different location that was a bit more obvious. Looking forward to seeing our photographs!

2016-10-16T15:33:55
Response from
the vendor

I love that you felt so great about working with our entire team - that's what we're all about, and hearing reviews like this is what makes us feel like we're doing things right. And KUDOS to you for getting GIFYYY photo booth at your...Read LessRead More

Excellent choice you will make.

Reviewed on
10/25/2015

1. Accomodating and flexible: Sometimes our schedule did not work for meetings or I had questions about detailed info. Ben was able to help us with flexibility for our convenience. 2. Talented and hard-working photographers: we are 100% happy with our photographer and his... Read More assistant who worked with us on our wedding day. Very spontaneous at emergency situations, made us feel comfortable and not worry about the confusion we caused for them (the wedding day schedule changed from what we had planned with the photographer). Our wedding was at a conservatory with no a/c. It was humid&hot on our wedding day, but they did not hesitate take us around everywhere possible for the beautiful pictures. Very good and clear with communication, which was so much helpful since we were both distracted with a hundred different things the whole time during the event. The photographers were also very good at capturing the significant moments and put them together for us, which made a complete story/movie of our special day. So impressed about them for not missing a moment! 3. Quality of the photography work: Exactly what we had imagined - candid, fine art sytle, and again, we are completely happy with it.

Greatest Photograpy ever!

Reviewed on
10/15/2015
Becky H

I'll start out by saying when it was time for Ben to leave my wedding, I cried. I told him that he made such peace out of complete chaos (there was a wedding party of 22 ppl and 4 kids), and his demeanor and kindness and patience meant SO SO much to me. Not only am I kind of a... Read More control freak (I'll admit), but with everything going so fast...and me as the bride on crutches, he kept his cool all day long. He had this unique way of getting us to really have genuine reactions with each other and I've never seen or heard of another photographer doing that? He spent a ton of time with us beforehand getting to know us (through his discovery calls--don't worry, if you aren't a talker...he doesn't push you). But even my husband who HATES HATES HATES taking pictures said he really liked his style and professionalism. I LOVED the pictures....honestly if I ever have any major life event again, I'm calling Ben. A few of my friends have already said they want to use his services for their wedding. LOVE this man! So sad its over!

Everything I wanted and more

Reviewed on
10/13/2015
Paula R

One of the first things my husband and I booked for our wedding day was our photographer. It was extremely important to us to have the day captured and have amazing photographs for us to remember by, especially when the day flies by so quickly. We had received several... Read More recommendations from friends for different photographers in Chicago, but This Is Feeling was so unique compared to the rest. As soon as we met with Ben from This Is Feeling we immediately booked him that day. Not only is he incredibly talented but also so easy to talk to and really does try to get a feel of exactly what you are looking for and what is important to you and your significant other. He is not pushy in any way (compared to my prior experience with some other well known photographers) and respects your time and wishes. We did engagement photos to feel him out to know what to expect on our wedding day and help calm our nerves being in front of a camera. He is very laid back and makes you feel at ease and incredibly comfortable. To be honest I didn't even feel like he was there taking pictures- he catches so many amazing candids that really shows your true feelings and expressions at that moment. My husband and I were blown away by our wedding photos. This Is Feeling put a lot of hard work and time to ensure they capture what is important to us, and they did that and more. I would highly recommend booking them!!

Photos with authentic emotion

Reviewed on
10/11/2015
Rachel R

Ben did a phenomenal job with our engagement photos. He's very friendly and asked us questions while he photographed us that kept us connecting with each other; this allowed us to feel at ease in front of the camera which resulted in more authentic shots. I was surprised by how... Read More wonderfully he captured everything I find attractive about my partner:from his smile to personality. It's hard to do that! The one thing I regret is not getting my makeup done professionally, especially because my skin broke out a couple days before. The skin retouching is minimal if at all and so some of the photos I disliked just because I couldn't get over how my skin looked. But the idea behind minimal retouching is beautiful as the point is not to make you look good but to capture the love between the two of you. I would just recommend that if you don't have flawless skin (e.g., acne, oily skin, fair skin, etc.) get your makeup done professionally if you don't already know how to do camera ready makeup! One last comment: Ben's attention to the natural beauty of the surroundings and how that melds with the couples portraits is really phenomenal and inspiring! So thank you, Ben!

The Perfect Wedding Photographer !!

Reviewed on
10/09/2015

After a seemingly endless search for the right photographer, my husband and I finally found what we were looking for with This is Feeling photography. From the very first Skype meeting with Ben, we were certain that he would faultlessly capture every important moment of our... Read More wedding day. Of course, when the day finally arrived, we weren’t surprised to see that he’s both a very assidous and composed photographer. Along with our officiant, Ben helped us set the perfect mood for the day, assuring us that we would not have to worry about him. Unlike some wedding photographers we’ve seen during other weddings, Ben was able to skilfully find the perfect balance between being noticeable and being inconspicous. All of our guests remarked that he was very courteous and considerate, and we could not agree more. As promised, we had access to our photos about 4 weeks after the wedding, and we couldn’t be happier with the final product. Although we had already seen a great deal of Ben’s work, we were delighted to see that the photos of our wedding surpassed even our own expectations. The photo montage that was created for our « premier » was extremely touching and deftly put together, and many of our friends who were unable to attend the wedding told us that the montage made them feel as though they had actually been present on the big day. We consider ourselves very fortune to have found This is Feeling Photography and we continue to sing their praises to both our friends and family. If you’re looking for THE BEST photographer(s) in the Midwest, then look no further !

Felt like Hanging out with a friend

Reviewed on
9/17/2015
Gina B

As someone who doesn't like their picture getting taken, I was very picky about a photographer. I knew I needed someone that got my smart-ass sense of humor and could make me feel comfortable. My husband and I are a pretty goofy couple who crack jokes constantly and needed... Read More someone we could feel like ourselves around. Kevin did the most amazing job and was so readily available when I needed help or had any questions. THANKS!

Beautiful Pictures!

Reviewed on
9/13/2015
Alison R

My husband and I absolutely loved working with Mike from This is Feeling. He really listened to what we wanted and got to know us beforehand. We had him at both the rehearsal dinner and wedding, and both nights were shot beautifully. We could not be any happier!! I highly... Read More recommend using them!

Reviewed on
8/25/2015
Evan B

Ben et al. were able to capture those beautiful and emotional moments of which we weren't even aware. On our wedding day, we were so wrapped up in the moment and had essentially abandoned the use of our peripheral vision. Upon viewing our wedding photo gallery for the first... Read More time, we were blown away by all the little details, the moments and even some of the guests that we unintentionally overlooked! The team was able to capture those things and incorporate them into our memory quite effortlessly. In addition, we were extremely pleased with how the photos turned out, given the less-than-ideal conditions; Ben and his team managed to produce an absolutely stunning gallery with a subtle dream-like quality from the rain-soaked shooting session. There was also a clear story line throughout the gallery, making it one engaging album to view! Given we are a same-sex couple, there wasn't even the least bit of awkwardness. There was zero pressure to conform to heteronormativity. My husband and I were free to express our love and individuality, and share our story exactly how we wanted. The ThisIsFeeling team was also very accommodating to our schedule, budget and ascetics from beginning to end. We couldn't be more pleased!

VIEW MORE

Meet The Owner

Ben Chernivsky

Born and raised in Chicago, Ben Chernivsky explored the world before settling down as a full-time wedding photographer in Chicago. Ben spent 9 years working through degrees in photography, journalism, creative writing, and global studies.
After working as a freelance photojournalist for a few years, Ben started a full-time wedding photography studio in 2011, shortly after getting married in 2010.
In 2015 he became a father to a beautiful little girl, and he started a new photo booth business called Gifyyy, a new and unique approach to the traditional photo booth.